The more she looked being put out by my joke, the more I was tempted to laugh, and in the end I made the mistake to stifle my laugh to obviously.
- Are you laughing at me human?!
- Sorry, sorry, it's only my sense of humor that's kind of broken. Com'on, I know you have the whole "hard as nails" look on, but don't tell me someone never irritated you like this. A younger sibling? An inebriated uncle? A joker dad? A ...
If I intended my joke to serve not only for me to relax, but also to prod her a little, to have whatever facade she had on crumble, it was a success. My only miscalculation was the extent of Athame's reaction.
She passed from being irritated, the extent of which was unclear to me, to being glacial in the time I was making a list of cliché family situation. I stopped talking when I saw her change of expressions, and in that moment I really hoped stares couldn't kill even here, because she gave me the quintessential death glare I imagined was physically possible.
I thought I had stepped on a landmine, and was about to apologise again, when she confirmed my suspicious.
- Never talk so lightly about family human. Never, if you want to live.
- I don't know what happened, but this time I sincerely apologise for my behaviour. As an apology I swear on my true name, I understand they are important here, I will answer truthfully to your next question, ok?
She took a deep breath while staring at me, and her calculating look promised nothing good for me. Fortunately we were chained pretty far from each other, but if we were free I suspected she already had beat me to a pulp.
- Fine, I will believe you, but I've also to warn you. Swear on your name that, whatever your answer will be, you will not talk to anyone about this talk. Swear on your true name or this conversation end here.
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- You know, I'm only talking to you because I'm bored and you kept...
- Swear!
- Ok, ok, sigh... I swear I will not tell anyone, so what's the question?
- Even if you're only a human mage, with no affiliation, even than you have some value. Even if you're not really who they believe you are... Will you join us to stop the war?
- What? What are you talking about? Slow down, explain, I was serious when I told you I don't even know when we are. I know even less about this war and the various factions, so before I can answer you must elaborate for me.
She squinted her eyes and managed to stare at me even harder than before, her eyes were so fixed I expected her to shoot laser from them sooner or later...
- What can I tell you here and now, it's that among us the gifted there are two major currents. One who seeks the end of the war with the human by force, and the other that want peace through coexistence. My question is which side are you going to take in the future?
- Truth to be told? Phylosophically speaking I'm on board the coexistence train, it's the one I feel more right...
My speech was interrupted by the jail's grate/door opening. In the time I took to look at what was happening Athame's behaviour changed drastically. I was starting to think that maybe she was a far better actress I first thought, a thing that worried me even more that our little truncated dialogue.
Anyway, the two guards that entered in the pit looked carefully at our restrains, and then signaled to someone outside. Than, each escorted by an armored soldier, some old acquaintances entered the prison. I was surprised by their battered look, but they were far more surprised to see me.